Just the Two of Us
by Shinji-Ikari-Dekar
Summary: A ShinjiRei fic that takes a more social point of view. Part 2 of Chapter 2 is up Caution: Lime elements. Enter at your own risk!
1. It Wasn't Right

Just the Two of Us. Chapter 1 - It Wasn't Right  
  
Shinji Ikari was not what you would call an outgoing kind of person, quite the opposite, in fact. He was a major introvert, who bottled up his emotions. He had been tormented all his life, 13 years in all, and it was no wonder he had turned out this way. He'd hardly ever had any friends, and always did what he was told. And that was what he was doing now. What he was told. He was delivering a NERV ID Card to his fellow Pilot, Rei Ayanami.  
  
As he stumbled up the cluttered, untended pathway leading to Rei's apartment, he noticed that noone else lived in the area. He wasn't surprised. This area was supposedly evacuated a while ago. He wondered why she remained here. He made a mental note to ask her about it later.  
  
He knocked on the door, and after a couple of minutes, since there was no answer, he entered, the door being suprisingly unlocked. When he entered the apartment, his first impression was this: untidy. There were clothes and used bandages scattered on the floor and the bed was dirty and unkempt. He saw a pair of glasses lying on the bare desk. I've never seen Rei wear glasses. He thought. He twiddled with them in his fingers, and unfortunately enough for him this was the time Rei chose to descend the stairs.  
  
With only a towel on, she walked over to Shinji, and as usual, wearing her expressionless mask. Shinji gasped as he realised that she wasn't wearing anything. Instinctively, he made a run for the door, but he slipped on her unmentionables and fell onto her. Her towel slid off, and he was on top of her. He felt something warm in his hand. He yelped in shock when he realised it was her breast, and quickly moved his hand away.  
  
"I'm sorry Ayanami, I never meant to.." He was blushing furiously now.  
  
"Please get off me." Her voice was tinged with annoyance.  
  
"Ahh, yes, of course."  
  
"...Why are you here?"  
  
"Umm..the card! Yes, uhhh, Ayanami, I was supposed to give you your new NERV ID."  
  
"...Yes."  
  
There ws a tone of finality in her voice, yet Shinji remained there.  
  
"..is there anything else?"  
  
"I was just wondering, why do you live in such a mess?"  
  
"...I don't know. Should it be cleaner?"  
  
"Well, yeah, I guess." He didn't understand. Why didn't she know such basic things?  
  
".I am sorry."  
  
"Don't be. I'll come over tomorrow to help you clean up."  
  
"...Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
With those last words still going through Rei's head, Shinji left her apartment, leaving her to ponder the words she had just heard. I've never said thank you to anyone before, she thought, Why though? She did not know. She would find out soon enough... _ ___ _ ____ (_ \ / /\ [\ ] [ __ (_ [ [ [ ] [\ ] (_ \/ / \ [ \] [___] (_ [__ [ [___] [ \]  
  
As Shinji walked back to his home, he pondered the recent events. She seemed to show no care, even if he had seen her naked. She also didn't seem to notice his reaction. In a way, he was glad of it. He didn't need that. But he didn't realise why he said he'd promise to help clean the apartment. He cleaned enough at home. Oh well, a promise was a promise. He knew Misato wouldn't be home until late, so he decided against going home in the end, and decided to go over to Touji's. He needed to tell someone what happened. It was too weird to keep to himself. He called the apartment on his mobile and left a message saying he would be home late. Then he mde his way over to Touji's.  
  
When he got there, Kensuke was there as well. They were good friends as well, but it was a surprise to see Kensuke away from the PC screen. Well, Mac screen. Kensuke thought Microsoft was the source of all evil, and so only used computers that didn't support Windows. Consequently, Touji found this an excellent way to annoy him, and jumped on the opportunity at every chance he got. Now was one of those chances. "I hate that guy, Mak Hiroshi is it? Why did he have to come back."  
  
"Yeah, the Mac is back isn't it?"  
  
"Oh stop it."  
  
"Yeah, but look at all those features, all that software, the excellent specs."  
  
"Seriously, you are bizarre."  
  
"Hey look, there's Shinji. Hey dude!"  
  
"Hi Shinji."  
  
"Hey, I've got somethig to tell you two."  
  
So Shinji launched into a long recount of what had just happened. When he had finished, the other two were in a daze, maybe they were daydreaming about, well, you know. Either way, it took them a few minutes to recover. When they had come back to reality, Touji was the first to say anything. "What the hell?"  
  
" I know. It was really weird."  
  
"So...there was no reaction."  
  
"No. None at all."  
  
"...There must be something wrong with her."  
  
"I wouldn't be surprised."  
  
"Well, we might as well go inside, it's getting a bit cold."  
  
So they went inside, but the discussion didn't stop.  
  
"There was, one other thing I didn't say."  
  
"...And...?"  
  
"Well, when I fell on her, I touched her.."  
  
"Uhhh..her what?"  
  
"Her boob, Ok?"  
  
"Shinji..you lucky bastard."  
  
"Hey, I didn't get a chance to enjoy it, it was really awkward and all."  
  
"Still, I can think of 5 guys who seriously envvy you."  
  
"And there was something else."  
  
"God Shinji, you need to start saying more."  
  
"I know. But the thing is, she was smiling. At least, it looked like she was, it's hard to tell with Rei."  
  
"So, you think she enjoyed it."  
  
"Well, I don't know. I kind of hope so."  
  
"..Are you saying that you like Rei?"  
  
"I don't know. Maybe I do. But then, Hikari looks good as well.."  
  
"You watch it Ikari." Everyone knew Touji's feelings for Hikari except Hikari. And everyone knew Hikari's feelings for Touji except Touji. Quite an irony really.  
  
"Ok, but I don't know what to do. Should I tell her, or what?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why the hell not?"  
  
"Well, for starters, they don't react well to it. They can ignore you for weeks on end if you do."  
  
"Yeah, but Rei isn't normal, is she?" Kensuke had decided to break his silence.  
  
"I guess you have a point there. But still, I dunno Shinji."  
  
"Ok, I won't tell her, but what the hell do I do?"  
  
"I have no idea. Maybe wait for a bit, then see if she notices anything."  
  
"I'll try it, but it's kinda hard to ignore."  
  
"Well, if you'll look south...I think we guessed that."  
  
Shinji did indeed look south, and realised they were telling the truth.  
  
"Ummmm....I'll go now. It's getting late, and Misato might get worried."  
  
"Can we come too?"  
  
"Nah, you two might flood the apartment with drool, and we don't need that."  
  
Touji and Kensuke groaned in unison. Shinji was getting better at this. They needed to step up their intensity. Shinji, meanwhile, was already walking back home, and thinking. Damn, they made it all seem so scary.Then, after a glance at his watch, the time was 9:00. Misato had been home for an hour now. He had better hurry.  
  
__ ___ _ ____ (_ \ / /\ [\ ] [ __ (_ [ [ [ ] [\ ] (_ \/ / \ [ \] [___] (_ [__ [ [___] [ \]  
  
By the time he'd gotten back, Misato had had a bath, eaten dinner and was now watching TV.  
  
"..I'm home Misato-san."  
  
"Shinji-kun!"  
  
Misato ran over to him and gave him a hug. It had been 2 days since he ran away. It looked like Misato wanted him there.  
  
"Ummm," he gasped, "You're.choking.me."  
  
"Oh, right."  
  
She let go almost in an instant. Shinji's life had been saved.  
  
"I've been waiting for you. I didn't feel like instant tonight."  
  
Shinji sighed. It was going to be a long night.  
  
By the time he had finished dinner and eaten it, it was 10:10. Misato had gone to bed. Obviously her day had tired her out. Shinji went to bed as well. He would have to go to school tomorrow. He gulped in fear. His first test would begin tomorrow. __ ___ __ ____ (_ \ / /\ [\ ] [ __ (_ [ [ [ ] [\ ] (_ \/ / \ [ \] [___] (_ [__ [ [___] [ \]  
  
Shinji woke up at 5:00 a.m, pretty much because he was nervous. It was Monday, so it was his turn to clean the house. It was a gruelling task, made worse by Misato's habits. How she could be so messy eluded him.He fixed himself a quick breakfast (and one for Pen-Pen), had a bath and got dressed. He was done by 5:45. It left him ample time to clean the house, barely.  
  
He was just about to leave when Misato stumbled out of her room and over to the fridge. He knew what was coming. He managed to block his ears just in time as Misato let out her ritual morning whoop. If Shinji hadn't blocked his ears, he might have been deaf by now.  
  
"WHOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Now that's the way to start the morning!" She said, after taking a large gulp of her morning Yebisu. Shinji managed to slip by unnoticed. He didn't want to face an alcohol-induced Misato on such a hard day.  
  
Shinji rushed to school, hoping that Rei wasn't there. But, lo and behold, she was there, and as always, the only person there at this time. Shinji cursed himself. He knew she was always here early, how could that have slipped his mind? This is bad, he thought, Really bad.  
  
Rei, however, didn't seem to acknowledge his entrance. Or, if she had, she didn't care. She continued to stare out of the window. Shinji decided against saying something, so he edged quietly out of the room.  
  
"You are afraid."  
  
"..What?"  
  
"You're afraid of me."  
  
"No, no I'm not."  
  
"Yes..you are."  
  
"..I guess so."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"..Well, don't you care about yesterday?"  
  
"No. Should I?"  
  
"Yes, I mean, I saw you naked, it's not..well, normal."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"..Listen, I'll come over this afternoon and we'll talk about it some more then? Right now I have something to do."  
  
"..Ok."  
  
So Shinji hastily left. The truth was, he had nothing to do. He just wanted to get away from it for a bit. He went off to the normal spot where he, Touji and Kensuke hung.  
  
Touji was already there. He was also the one who had chosen the spot. We knew why. It gave a perfect view of where Hikari normally sat. How predictable. It was on a roof of one of the older school buildings, and so was been easier to get to and from. Shinji panted as he climbed up there. He was glad it wasn't any harder. It was hard enough as it was. Touji was lost in thought when Shinji eventually reached the top, so he didn't notice his presence. "Uhhh, hi."  
  
"Oh, hey Shinji."  
  
Touji seemed, distant today. Different to his usual self. Something must have been wrong.  
  
"Is anything wrong Touji?"  
  
"I was just thinking, maybe I should tell Hikari how I feel."  
  
Shinji sighed. It was pretty much all that was on his mind now.  
  
"It goes against everything you told me last night."  
  
"True. But, well I dunno."  
  
"Neither do I. Hey, I talked to Rei this morning."  
  
"Yeah, and how'd it go?"  
  
"A bit scary really."  
  
"Awww, is poor wittle Shinji scared of evil Rei?"  
  
"Hey, it was you that made it seem weird."  
  
"Yeah, I guess."  
  
"Anyway, I'm still going over there to help out."  
  
"Still? Seriously, you're getting stranger and stranger every day. First, you get an excellent chance and don't take it. Now, you go ahead with something that you completely don't want to do. I mean, it's a bit weird, isn't it?"  
  
"Yeah, but...I dunno."  
  
"Very bad karma dudes."  
  
Kensuke had decided to come up, earlier than usual. This time he wasn't late to school.  
  
"Since when were you a tree-hugger?"  
  
"Since I met this girl online last night."  
  
Kensuke met a girl. That was odd.  
  
"So, do you actually know anything about her?"  
  
"No. Other than she has the Internet and hates violence."  
  
"Ooooooooooohhhh, that makes you want to date her."  
  
"Shut up, at least I have th guts to ask mine out."  
  
"Well, let's hope she's not a whore."  
  
"Damn you, you always make things scarier than they should be."  
  
"Hey, it's easy and it's fun."  
  
"Whatever dude."  
  
The bell rang. Reluctantly, all three of them trudged off to class. Well, climbed down, then trudged off to class. They were on the roof, after all. __ ___ __ ____ (_ \ / /\ [\ ] [ __ (_ [ [ [ ] [\ ] (_ \/ / \ [ \] [___] (_ [__ [ [___] [ \]  
  
Hikari Horaki was, as usual, struggling to keep the class quiet. Eventually she just gave up and went to take her seat. Hikari was the Class Representative, and saw it her duty to make Sensei's life easier. She also saw it her duty to welcome each student into the room every day. And she would succeed with every person, except for Ayanami Rei. This didn't really trouble her. Rei never knew what was going on. She probably didn't know everyone else was welcomed anyway, so it didn't bother her. What did bother her however, was that Ikari, Aida and Suzuhara had decided to show up late.  
  
"Where the hell have you 3 been? Sensei is almost here!"  
  
"Ummm, emphasis on the 'almost' there Class Rep. We're still here in good timing"  
  
"That doesn't matter. You're late."  
  
In reality, Hikari didn't care they were late, it was that she had screwed up her custom of welcoming everyone.  
  
"I'm sorry, Horaki-san."  
  
"At least one of you can apologise. Now take your seats."  
  
Shinji was the one who had apologised. He seemed at ease with Suzuhara and Aida, but seemed unable to talk to anyone else. It was weird to see. Well, at least he'd made some friends.  
  
At this point Sensei entered the building. Hikari, being the excellent Class Rep she was, made them all bow to the teacher, then he began his daily rant on Second Impact. Hikari had been asked by a lot of people to get him to say something else for once. By now most students didn't think they'd get into university at this rate.  
  
Shinji was, like everyone else, now accustomed to this daily event, and so, like everyone else, logged onto the school chat. He wasn't up to a whole class discussion, like everyday, so he opted to have a private discussion waith Kensuke.  
  
Hey Kensuke, what's going on?  
  
Nothing much, I guess trying to tune out Sensei's boring rant, yet again.  
  
Same here. That, and thinking.  
  
What the hell about?  
  
Rei.  
  
Oh, I get it.  
  
No, not in that way. I was thinking why she never talks to anyone.  
  
I don't know. When you weren't here, she had no friends then either. She's bizarre.  
  
I guess it. And I still have to go over there this afternoon.  
  
Well, maybe you'll get lucky and she'll be in the shower again..^_^  
  
No thanks. I'm freaked enough as it is.  
  
Well, if I were you I'd take it.  
  
Yeah, and maybe you're Net buddy isn't some acne-infested freak.  
  
Harsh. Still, I think I would.  
  
Whatever Kensuke. I doubt you would. She looked at you once, and you wouldn't come out from under your desk for the rest of the day.  
  
Can you say 'exaggeration'?  
  
Yes, and I can spell it too.  
  
We're getting literal here, aren't we?  
  
Yeah, we are. Hey, the bell's about to ring.  
  
Yeah, you're right. Well, see you in a bit.  
  
Yeah, see you.  
  
And then, Shinji disconnected. But, words were still being typed:  
  
God Shinji, you're really weird, you know that?  
  
Well, that summarised it well.  
  
The End  
  
Author's Notes: OK, so I'm back from a long absence of typing. Anyway, as you can guess, this will be a Rei/Shinji fic, hopefully it won't turn into a bastardised clone like there are a heap of out there. Anyway, these things will be longer eventually, but for now I'm content with making short things that be churned out fast. Coincidentally, this also contains my first ASCII, also a very bad one. I'll try and use a new one each chapter as well, and get better at it. And you probably noticed how Shinji seemed quite a bit more outgoing than he is in the series, especially in the chatroom. I wanted this, because a fanfic should be based on how you want it to be, and I don't like introverted spinless weaklings in stories thankyou very much. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this miniature chapter, and tune back in soon for another exciting instalment in Just the Two of Us!!!  
  
P.S: I just looked at the ASCII, and it doesn't work, damn you fanfiction.net server! But I'm leaving it there, so you'll just have to handle it, sorry. 


	2. Valentine's Day

Just the Two of Us Chapter 2 - Valentine's Day / That one blissful moment.  
  
As the Pilot of Evangelion Unit 01 made his way up to the roof, he was seriously considering getting them to change their traditional spot, it was getting annoying. He was caught mid-climb though by a particlarly worried Touji Suzuhara.  
  
"Hey Touji, why so glum?"  
  
"I just told Hikari that I liked her."  
  
"You did WHAT?"  
  
Shinji would have slapped himself but luckily common sense took over. He wasn't about to fall from a ladder. So he hopped off the ladder onto the ground.  
  
"Ummm, I told Hikari that I liked her. Do I need to repeat it again or should I borrow a megaphone?"  
  
"Not as far as I know. So, do I need to ask why?"  
  
"I don't know. One second I was walking out of the room, then the next second I'm confessing my love to her."  
  
"..ummm, did she say anything?"  
  
"No. And that's why I'm worried. She said nothing. N-O-T-H-I-N-G. And it made me think if she'll ever feel the same way."  
  
"Oh, I think she does. She just might need a little coaxing.."  
  
"I hope so."  
  
"Hey guys, why all the hoping?"  
  
Kensuke had decided to show. It looked like he didn't hear most of the conversation.  
  
"Touji just told Hikari he liked her."  
  
"You did WHAT?"  
  
"Strange, I said the exact same thing."  
  
"But why Touji?"  
  
Touji seemed to withdraw from the conversation and drift off into the background. He sat on a bench, watching Shinji and Kensuke talk.. All blood seemed to have left his body, leaving him a ghostly white. Why did he say that, he thought, Why? Why? Why?  
  
"Hey Touji, didn't you hear, the bell rang."  
  
"Oh..right."  
  
Slowly he truged off to class. At least he wouldn't be learning anything. For once, he thanked Sensei for his, 'unusual' teaching methods.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
By the time Touji had reached his desk, he had recovered from the past events. But there was one thing he didn't expect. There was a letter on his desk. He slowly reached out his hand to open it. It read:  
  
Dear Touji,  
  
Upon hearing your feelings, I have to say I'm still quite shocked. But I realise I like you back. Meet me under the tree in the main courtyard at lunch,  
  
Hikari  
  
Touji was shocked. He had had no idea that she felt this way. But he was glad that she did. Then he realised that he had to meet her under the tree. How the hell was he supposed to do that? He decided to ask Shinji and Kensuke, they'd know what to do. He hoped. He opened up a Private Message box.  
  
Hey you two, I've got a problem.  
  
Ok, shoot.  
  
Well, Hikari put a letter on my desk.  
  
And..?  
  
Well, it says she likes me.  
  
Then what's the problem?  
  
Well, she wants me to meet her at lunch.  
  
I still don't see a problem.  
  
Neither do I.  
  
Well, it might go wrong.  
  
Of course it might. Anything might go wrong, it's up to you to stop it from going wrong.  
  
Yeah, stop worrying. It could go wrong, but that doesn't mean it will. Just tell her your feelings are genuine.  
  
Thanks guys.  
  
And Touji terminated the connection, feeling little better than before. Fortunately, the sirens chose to go off at that moment. Touji was glad, well, as glad as you can be when an Angel is about to attack.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
As Shinji went into his Entry Plug, he felt at ease. He had defeated the last two Angels and taken it in his stride. What could possibly go wrong? Well, extreme pain for one.  
  
As Shinji rose through the ground and onto the city floor, he noticed that the Angel was a simple geometrical shape and was floating in midair. Looked simple enough. He thought But as soon as he thought that, Murphy's Law went into action and Evangelion Unit-01 was hit full force with a radiant beam of energy. He screamed, then darkness.  
  
When Shinji came to, he was under the now familiar ceiling of the NERV infirmary. He was spending too much time here with all the injuries he was getting. He felt like he'd been covered in hot sauce. It wasn't a good feeling. He managed to cock his head up, and he saw Ayanami Rei standing there with a meal in her hands.  
  
"I am glad you are well. We can now start our attack."  
  
".Do I really have to go back into that thing?"  
  
"If you do not wish to, then leave. Dr. Akagi can rewrite the core data to Unit-01 to fit me."  
  
".I'll pilot it."  
  
"Then this is the plan: It will begin at 0:00 hours. The two pilots, Ikari and Ayanami, will scramble at the cage at 17:30 hours today. At 18:00 hours, ready Units One and Zero. At 18:05 hours, launch. At 18:30 hours, arrive at the Emergency Base on Mt. Futagoyama. We will wait there for further instructions. The operation will commence at midnight."  
  
She placed the meal on the table and left without another word. Shinji shuddered. He hoped he wouldn't get fried again. He'd probably look like he was skinless. With a resigned shrug, he set about his meal.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
At NERV HQ him and Rei were briefed on the attack strategy. Dr. Akagi had designed a special shield that could withstand the Angel's attack for 17 seconds. Unit-00 was to hold that while Shinji and Unit-01 were to fire a prototype Positron Sniper Rifle that used all the power in Tokyo-3. He gulped. Ayanami's life depended on him.  
  
Before she welt for the Cage she said one word: "Goodbye." It was amazing how one word could send more chills down his spine than any other moment ever had.  
  
As he sat in the entry plug, waiting for Misato's orders, he opened up a private one-way window with Rei. He was amazed at how calm and collected she was. She could die. This was, kind of disturbing. But Shinji's thoughs were interrupted by the familiar voice of NERV's primary tactician.  
  
"Evangelion Units 00 and 01, launch!"  
  
Both of the EVAs raced through the entry tunnel, and Shinji was racked with another spasm of fear. But, it was too late to back out now. The EVAs rocketed thruogh the floor and were transported quietly up to Mt. Futagoyama.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
That night as Shinji went to bed back in Misato's apartment, he reflected on what had happened that night. It was like this:  
  
They had barely gotten in position when the Angel noticed them and attacked. The shield managed to hold up. Shinji repeated the mantra that he had been reciting up until now:  
  
"Target in the centre, pull the switch."  
  
But he jerked back too early, and the shot missed it's target.  
  
"Dammit Shinji!"  
  
That was all Misato Katsuragi could manage. Rei was in danger. But, if she ejected Rei's plug, Shinji would be in danger. God, this was difficult.  
  
Shinji was scared. He knew that the gun took 15 seconds to chargs, and by then Rei would have taken some of the blast. He was confused. What to do? He thought  
  
Rei was unnervingly calm. Had anyone else been in there, they would have sworn Rei wasn't human. The shield broke up, and Rei felt an amazing burning sensation creep through her. Just beforte she blacked out, she saw a blue beam of light.  
  
That blue beam of light had been fired by the gun held in the now deactivated Evangelion Unit-01, as it's pilot, Shinji Ikari was rushing over to where the melted remains of Unit-00 stood. The entry plug was on the ground, having being ejected quickly after the attack had begun on Unit- 00.  
  
Shinji forced the superheated hatch open with his hands, and winced at the pain. But he knew Rei was inside there, and she was in trouble. When he had opened the hatch, he saw Rei slumped against the entry plug wall.  
  
"Ayanami, Ayanimi!"  
  
".I have nothing else."  
  
"Don't say that."  
  
"Say what?"  
  
"That you have nothing else. Don't say that. And when you leave, don't say goodye like that, it's just too sad." Tears were welling up in his eyes.  
  
"I am sorry, but I don't know what to do in this situation."  
  
"I guess, you should, smile."  
  
And she did. It was the single most beautiful thing he'd ever laid eyes upon.  
  
As Shinji fell asleep, images of Rei flew through his mind, namely the ID Card incident. And if anyone walked into the room, they might have thought that Shinji had set up a tent.  
  
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The next day was Valentines Day, and the only person at school who didn't realise was Shinji. When he got to school he was just a bit suspicious. There were hearts and stuff everywhere. He went and met Kensuke and Touji on the roof (after much sweating and pain) and they told him that it was Valentines Day.  
  
"So, you get anything for Rei?"  
  
"No. I completely forgot it was Valentines Day. And she doesn't know I like her yet."  
  
"You reckon she got anything for you?"  
  
"Do I have to repeat myself? No, I don't think so."  
  
"Well, I do have something to say: you're screwed."  
  
At which point the bell rang. Shinji had to hand it to Kensuke, he still had it.  
  
As Shinji took his seat, he noticed that their classroom had been decorated as well. Hikari really had taken it too far though. In fact, she'd taken it so far that a word spent describing it would make you want to throw up. Needless to say, many of the guys in the class felt like I do about the decorations, but Shinji didn't really care. Because the other thing he noticed was far more important. He saw Rei Ayanami walking towards him with a box of chocolates in her hand. He gulped, talk about unexpected events.  
  
"These are for you, Ikari."  
  
Shinji could barely manage a nod.  
  
"Th.Thank you."  
  
And without another word said, she returned to her seat. Many of the people surrounding Shinji started gossiping.  
  
"I knew all along."  
  
"So does that mean Ayanami's taken?"  
  
"How did that happen?"  
  
"Ayanami, you bitch!"  
  
"Shinji, you lucky shit!"  
  
But Shinji took no notice of all this. He was still frozen is shock about the past events. When did she start liking me? When?  
  
************************************************************************  
  
By lunchtime, Shinji's mood had not changed. He still couldn't figure it out. He was confused. Very confused. At that moment Touji interrupted his thoughts.  
  
"Hey Shinji."  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Still wondering."  
  
"I just don't get it Touji, when did she start liking me?"  
  
"You're the one with the most chance of telling us, you spend more time with her than anyone else in class."  
  
"You're right there, but whenever I talk to her, it's not casual, it's awkward."  
  
"Don't we all know it. She seems like she's never really lived the first 14 years of her life. She's missing something."  
  
"I know, and it makes it harder to understand."  
  
"How about you just don't understand it?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You know, go along with it. Eventually you'll find out, just wait."  
  
"That's a good idea. Yeah, I'll try it."  
  
"Cool. Hey, have you seen Kensuke?"  
  
"He's probably on his laptop, with his girlfriend."  
  
"He doesn't even know what she looks like, god, what an idiot."  
  
"It's not nice to talk about your friend like that."  
  
Kensuke chose that time to join them on the roof.  
  
"She just sent me a photo of her, have a look."  
  
He loaded the picture on the screen and showed them. Touji just laughed.  
  
"You do realise that could be a fake, don't you? She looks too good to be interested in you, you and your Mac."  
  
"I told you to lay off, and that's why we're going out this weekend."  
  
"Smooth one Ken. So what'll you be doing?"  
  
"A cliché. Dinner and a movie."  
  
"What movie?"  
  
"I dunno, I guess we'll just see whats there."  
  
"What a great idea."  
  
"Thanks.was that sarcastic?"  
  
"No, you don't say."  
  
"Hey Touji, what about you and Hikari? She gave you something this morning."  
  
"So?" He said it as if he didn't care, but a slight, yet noticeable blush came across his face.  
  
"So are you going to do anything about it?"  
  
"Not until I can think of something to do about it."  
  
"Nice one hotshot."  
  
The bell rang at that point and they went over to the track and pool, as it was their PE time.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
"OK, now I wan' t' guys in t' pool, and t' girlies on t' track, ok?"  
  
The PE teacher, Mr. McManus, was an apple-cheeked old Scotsman. It was proof enough that he couldn't speak when the guys went to the track and the girls to the pool, but Mr. McManus didn't notice. He was half-blind anyway.  
  
Shinji wasn't running. In fact, most of the guys weren't running. They were spending this time doing something constructive: ogling women in swimsuits. Shinji, in particular, was staring at a certain blue-haired girl. It just so happened that Kensuke noticed this.  
  
"Whatcha doing, Shinji?"  
  
"I.uh.nothing, nothing."  
  
"I saw you, you were lookin at Rei."  
  
"No.I wasn't!"  
  
"Yes you were. You were staring at her eyes, her lips, her legs, her thighs, her naughty bits!"  
  
"Really, I wasn't."  
  
"Quit lying Shinji, you're bad at it."  
  
"Ok, so I was, what the deal?"  
  
"Nothing, just messing with your head."  
  
And Kensuke walked away. Shinji breathed a sigh of relief: noone had heard, which was a surprise as Kensuke had a big mouth. Shinji found himself continuing to look at her, even if he knew Kensuke would come back any moment. He just couldn't tear his eyes away from her.  
  
Rei had an aversion to sunlight, it was common knowledge. She never swam in the pool because it was in direct sunlight, She just sat in a shady corner and read a book. Hikari Horaki had noticed this, and had decided to talk to her. It sounded simple enough, but it was easier said than done. Hikari walked slowly over to where Rei sat.  
  
"Hello Rei."  
  
"Good afternoon Miss Horaki."  
  
"No need to be so formal. You can just call me Hikai."  
  
"Very well.Hikari."  
  
At least there was some progress there.  
  
"So Rei, do you ever swim?"  
  
"There is a natatorium at NERV Head Quarters. It is indoors. I swim there often."  
  
"I've never swam in a natatorium, what's it like?"  
  
"It is like this pool here, except there is a higher chlorine level."  
  
"I see.hey, do realise Shinji is checking you out down there?"  
  
"Yes, I do."  
  
"Then why aren't you telling him to stop?"  
  
"Because I enjoy his attention."  
  
This answer had taken Hikari back. But nevertheless, she continued.  
  
"You.you enjoy it?"  
  
"Yes. Is that wrong?"  
  
"No, it isn't."  
  
"."  
  
It seemed that their conversation would end there. Hikari gave a resinged shrug, and left the girl alone to her thoughts. There is something wrong with that girl, very wrong.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
That evening, in honor of Valentine's Day, Misato was throwing one of her famous parties. And, as usual, Shinji was charged with the task of purchasing the supplies. This wasn't unduly difficult. Misato's parties were quite simple: snacks, soft drinks for the kids, and beer. Lots of beer.  
  
As Shinji walked down to the local corner shop, he remembered Misato said he could invite some people. Touji and Kensuke for one. But, a small part of him wanted Rei to come. And also Hikari. He wanted Hikari to come because it would be amusing to see Touji's reaction, and he wanted them to get together. Touji, being the guy he was, would never make a move. And neither would Hikari. It was up to him.  
  
"Hello Ikari-chan, how are we today?"  
  
"Not bad Mr. Yeo-san, ecept Misato's throwing another party."  
  
"If she keeps this up, then I'll be a millionaire by the time the year's out."  
  
"Then let's cross our fingers and pray. Anyway, can you get me the usual party kit: some chips, dips, Coke and a hell of a lot of Yebisu."  
  
"She doesn't allow much for variety does she?"  
  
"I guess not. She probably doesn't have the capacity."  
  
"Nice one. But how she can drink this stuff is beyond me. She's the only customer I get who drinks it. Awful, awful stuff it is."  
  
"I wouldn't know, I've never tried it."  
  
"Keep it that way."  
  
Shinji paid for the goods and went back to the apartment. By the time he got there, Misato had done, well, her version of 'cleaning'. Shinji still couldn't comprehend how she could live in such a mess. He set about cleaning it up, and was finished by the time Misato noticed he was there.  
  
"Shinji-kun, I didn't see you there."  
  
"I know. I got all the stuff for the party."  
  
"Excellent. So who are you inviting?"  
  
"The usual: Touji, Kensuke, but I thought I might invite Hikari."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"To set her and Touji up."  
  
"Nice thinking. I'll try to skimp on teasing him then. But as for Kensuke."  
  
"Keep at it. I need something to amuse me while I'm here."  
  
"I will then."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
And Shinji retired to his room, cleaning can take a lot out of you. He didn't say he was inviting Rei. He could deal with Misato then.  
  
End of Chapter 2  
  
Author's Notes: Another chapter done, and thank god! Anyway, there are something's about this chapter I have to say: I've never seen the fight with Ramiel, so that part probably isn't as good as it should be. When I see it, I'll edit the fight. Also, about the whole Valentine's Day thing. The inspirartion for that comes from a fanfiction called The One I Love Is., and excellent fic that you all should read. Find it here: Anyway, also after this I'll be taking a break for the Chrissie holidays, but I'll be back soon. Happy reading! 


	3. The Party

Just the Two of Us Chapter 2 Part 2 - The Party / When you're looking at something old, yet it feels so new  
  
Shinji Ikari was alone. Misato had gone out to find people to turn up to that night's party, such were Misato's parties. It gave him ample time to call up Touji, Kensuke, and Hikari. Hikari didn't seem to suspect a thing, and agreed instantly. But he hesitated before calling Rei. Should he call her? He wondered What would happen? Would she realize what he was trying to do? But it seemed so unlike Rei to think on that line of thought. With a barely noticeable sigh, he dialed the number.  
  
"Hello, it's Shinji Ikari."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I.I was just.wondering, whether you'd like.to come to our party tonight?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because.you would enjoy it."  
  
"Then I will be there."  
  
"Ok.bye."  
  
And he hung up. Was it just him, or did that seem a lot easier than it should have been? It didn't help soothe his nerves though. Oh well. He resigned to his room and turned on his SDAT. Maybe Beethoven's 5th could calm him down. He needed to be calm for tonight.  
  
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|  
  
Touji and Kensuke, predictable as they were, turned up first, if only to see Misato for longer. They were lucky. She was just getting out of the shower. With only a towel on, let it just suffice to say that by looking at them, they were happy to see her.  
  
"Why boys, you're here early."  
  
They couldn't talk. They looked a bit overwhelmed by the view.  
  
"What's the matter, cat got your tongue?"  
  
"Y.yes is does."  
  
Misato smiled at them, and walked off to her room to get changed. She leaned over to reach the knob in a scandalous way. Kensuke almost fainted. It really wasn't necessary Shinji thought, but he couldn't help but to chuckle at the situation.  
  
"What are you laughing at Ikari?"  
  
"You two. You both look redder than tomatoes!"  
  
"Watch it dude, or you'll be eating this here hand."  
  
"OK, I'll try to stop."  
  
There ws some obvious sarcasm in his voice.  
  
"Well, should we pick up our fallen comrade?"  
  
"I think it would be quite suitable."  
  
They heaved Kensuke onto the couch. By the time he came to, the rest of the partygoers were arriving. Everyone had come in fact, except Rei and Hikari. Shinji couldn't help but feel disappointed at the lack of Rei's prescence. It was precisely at that moment however, that Hikari decided to show up, much to Touji's discomfort. He beckoned to Shinji in an urgent manner. Shinji went over to him, and followed him into his own room.  
  
"Why the hell did you invite her?"  
  
"She had nothing else to do tonight, it would be inhumane. Besides, I thought you'd be overjoyed."  
  
"This is hardly the place or time to be overjoyed."  
  
"Touji, you're overreacting again."  
  
"Right, right."  
  
He trailed off there, giving Shinji ample time to get away from him. Maybe this was a bad idea, He thought, oh well, it's too late to back out now. His thoughts were interrupted with a knock on the door. Everyone was here. Everyone except. He suddenly realised who it was, and as he opened the door, he in a way wished he hadn't.  
  
"He.hello Rei-chan."  
  
"Hello Ikari."  
  
".Oh, please come in."  
  
"Thankyou."  
  
It was amazing how so many different thoughts could occur in Rei's head in such a small conversation. Why does he feel so awkward talking to me? She mused, His feelings have become apparent, why does he feel shame for them?  
  
Shinji had walked off to the couch where Kensuke and Hikari were talking. Touji obviously hadn't come out of his sanctuary in his bedroom. Oh well, it was his loss.  
  
"Hey Kensuke, Hikari."  
  
"Hey Shinji, where have you been?"  
  
"Welcoming guests, you can see it would take some time." He hated lying, but it had to be done. Touji could thank him later.  
  
"Obviously."  
  
"So, what have you two been up to?"  
  
"Just talking."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"About what the hell happened to Touji."  
  
"I have no idea." Yep, it was still hard.  
  
"Oh well, we'll find him soon enough."  
  
"Hopefully."  
  
"So anyway, why don't you introduce us to some of these people! They don't all come to Misato's parties often, and Hikari probably doesn't know anyone."  
  
"Yeah, I feel a bit weird here."  
  
"Ok then, I'll show you around."  
  
While Shinji had been talking to Kensuke and Hikari, Rei had been watching him like a hawk. Noone noticed her, Rei was like that. Coincidentally, when Shinji, Hikari ad Kensuke went of, Touji came out oif hiding and sat on the couch.  
  
"You are Touji Suzuhara, are you not?"  
  
He turned to see the source of the voice was Rei Ayanami. He was surprised that she was here, but he replied in a csual manner.  
  
"Yes I am."  
  
"Then are you not the object of Miss Horaki's affection?"  
  
This had been unexpected, but Touji tried hard not to show it.  
  
"I.I guess I am."  
  
"And you are afraid of her?"  
  
"Where would you get an idea like that?"  
  
"You were hiding in Ikari's bedroom."  
  
"No I wasn't."  
  
"I heard you muttering to yourself."  
  
"I.I.whatever."  
  
Rei stood up and left the boy to his thoughts. It was obvious that their conversation had ended.  
  
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|  
  
When Shinji, Hikari and Kensuke went to sit down, they saw Touji siting there by himself. Shinji was about to say hello when he heard a familiar voice behind his back.  
  
"Hello Ikari."  
  
"Oh, hello Rei-chan."  
  
"Can we go somewhere else?"  
  
"Umm, I don."  
  
He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence. Rei dragged him off to his room. This behaviour bewildered the other 3.  
  
"Ok, what the hell just happened?"  
  
"I.have no idea."  
  
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|  
  
Shinji was feeling just a bit confused. Since when had Rei become so assertive? He didn't have time to think of an answer though, because Rei leant in and kissed him.  
  
His thoughts at the time were a blur, but one constant was how happy he felt in this girl's arms. They both tensed at the immediate touch of each other, but they gave in and melted into one another's embrace.  
  
They stayed that way for quite some time, until Rei slowly broke off and said 8 words that stuck in Shinji's mind for some time after.  
  
"Do you want to become one with me?"  
  
"W.what?"  
  
"Unite body and soul."  
  
"I...I."  
  
But he did not have time to answer. Rei started unbuttoning her shirt, and Shinji could do nothing but stare at Rei's supple breats as they appeared through her bra. He wanted to touch them. He slowly reached out his hands to her.But it was at that point that Hikari decided to open the door to Shinji's room to ask something.  
  
"Shinji could you please tell me AHHHH!"  
  
"It.It's not wha."  
  
"Miss Horaki, would you kindly leave me and Shinji-kun alone?"  
  
"I.I.I"  
  
Rei pushed her out of the room, and continued to her undress herself. But Hikari entering the room served as a wake-up call to Shinji.  
  
"I can't do this."  
  
And he left the room, with an utterly confused Rei Ayanami left behind. He needed to talk to someone. He sat down on the couch, where it looked like Touji had gotten past his shyness, to say the least. It looked like the only person he could talk to was Kensuke.  
  
"Hey Kensuke, got a minute?"  
  
"Sure do. Those two have really made me feel left out."  
  
"Good."  
  
He led Kensuke to the kitchen where he told him everything that had just happened. Kensuke was, the least to say surprised.  
  
"Well, I don't think anyone could have suspected that. And Hikari saw?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"But why didn't she tell us."  
  
"Maybe she didn't have time. She is awfully busy after all."  
  
"I guess, but it still doesn't seem like Rei."  
  
"I know, when did this start?"  
  
"Presumably today. She did give you those chocolates today. So something happened last night or so.Wait, the Angel attacked last night. What happened then?"  
  
"Fine, I'll tell you."  
  
And so he told him what had happened at Mt. Futagoyama that night. This shocked Kensuke even more than the last piece of news.  
  
"Then that's it."  
  
"I guess that is the only logical explanation."  
  
"But should we tell Touji?"  
  
"Not now, I doubt he'd appreciate us interrupting him. Wait untill tomorrow."  
  
"I'll do that. Thanks Kensuke."  
  
"No problem. Anything for a friend."  
  
"But where did Rei get to?"  
  
"I don't see here anywhere, I guess she's still in your room."  
  
"Probably. Do you think I should apologise?"  
  
"I'd say so. I think something like that could really dent someone."  
  
"I'll do that now."  
  
"And don't get into any mischief while I'm gone."  
  
"I'll try Kensuke, I'll try."  
  
As he walked towards his room, he was hit with another pang of nervousness. She might hate him for that. No, Rei had never hated anyone ever. But then again, she has changed a lot in the past day.  
  
He nervously slid the door open nd crept in to see a dark silouette of Rei Ayanami quietly sobbing.  
  
"R.Rei.?"  
  
"Y.Yes?" She raised her head, and in the dim light he saw the tears that had stained her pale cheeks.  
  
"I.I just want.wanted to apologise."  
  
"."  
  
" I shouldn't have run out like that, but you were going too fast. I can't do that."  
  
"But isn't this what you wanted? For someone to love you?"  
  
"Yes, but not to that extreme."  
  
"I.I understand."  
  
"Let's just take it slower. I undertstand how you feel, but if we take it slower, we might not do something we'll regret in the future."  
  
"Yes." She sounded happy, but she was still crying. Shinji sat down on the bed with her and held her there. He never thought twice about it. She was sad, and she needed him there.  
  
|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|  
  
They stayed like that for quite some time, but neither knew that. When Shinji dared to look out of his room, he saw that everyone had gone. A quick glance at the clock, and he saw it was 1a.m.  
  
"Rei, you may have to go now."  
  
"Would it be OK with you if I stayed here tonight?"  
  
"I.well.OK."  
  
She's probably tired, what harm could it do? He thought.  
  
So he let her sleep with him that night. Nothing actually happened there, but it was no matter. For what was most likely the first time in his life, Shinji Ikari felt content with himself. He was truly happy.  
  
End of Chapter 2 Part 2  
  
Authors Notes: I know this chapter is substantially shorter than the last two, but this is the second art of Chapter 2 more than anything else. Now I'm going to take some time to answer some questions from the reviews:  
  
dennisud: The only reason I don't highlight who says what is because generally it isn't integral to the actual storyline. If a line is important i'll say who said it.  
  
D14852001: Thanks for the tip, I'm not really all that good when it comes to the Japanese language, so thank you.  
  
And I guess I have to be thankful for the lack of Shinji-Rei fics out there, they seem rarer and rarer each day. Well, this time I'll be on a real holiday, I'm off tomorrow! Bo I'l be taking a break, but I'll be continuing soon, so stay tuned for another exciting chapter of Just the Two of Us! 


End file.
